Your doctor may prescribe Nitrofurantoin to treat a urinary tract infection. However, this drug can be used to combat a host of bacterial infections, but, due to the risk of side effects you need to be careful about the dosage of the drug you take at once. An overdose can exacerbate common side effects and make them much worse, and it is important to follow your doctor’s advice about how to use the drug. Misuse of Nitrofurantoin can result in it being ineffective for treatment and may cause you to develop severe symptoms.
The average dose for an adult, in the treatment of cystitis (inflammation of the bladder, usually caused by infection) is 50mg to 100 mg. This is for a single dose that would be repeated four times throughout the day. Usually, the treatment will only need to continue for a week, though your doctor may recommend that you continue to take the drug for up to three days after your urine has returned to normal.
Not everyone will receive the same dosage, though. Children will need to be given a much smaller dose (usually 5-7mg per kg each day). This drug should not be given to children without a doctor’s prescription, and you need to be extra careful with how much you give them, as the side effects can be more dangerous for them.
If you suffer from liver or kidney disease and are advised to take Nitrofurantoin, then you will be prescribed a lower dose than other people would. That’s because there is an increased risk of toxicity, and concessions have to be made in order to make sure the drug is palatable for your body.
Anyone with pulmonary health issues, hepatic dysfunction or cholestatic jaundice will likely not be allowed to take this medicine. The risk of toxicity or complications is simply too high, and an alternative is needed.
If you miss your dose of the drug, you need to be careful about how you try to make it up. Since it is taken four times throughout the day, there is usually little damage caused by missing a dose. You can simply just take your next scheduled dose when it is time. If you remember that you missed a dose shortly after your scheduled time, do not panic, you can simply take the dose then. You do need to give yourself a few hours between doses, and if you have any concerns or questions about if it is safe to take a missed dose, it is best to contact your doctor. You should never double up on the doses when you miss a dose. In most cases, it is best to simply take the next scheduled dose and skip the one you missed.
